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Friday, March 30, 2012

Uncomfortable Truths - The Good Guys Lost

Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
Thats how it goes

That mean old bastard is from Tahoe, came up this way, escapee, bought the first horse stables my daughter had her horse at. Yelled at the help. Help left. As did all the people renting the horse stalls, save one. I am expecting the place to be for sale this summer. In my mind, guy has always been the spitting image of Rufus. What do you think?

Everybody knows that the dice aren't loadedNobody rolls with their fingers crossedEverybody knows the war's never overEverybody knows how much it costsEverybody knows the fight's never fixedThe poor become unaccustomedTo their station in lifeThe rich become accustomedTo the mistress and wifeAnd the rivers eat the hillsThe hills become the valleysYet nothing becomes stillIn the ever becoming strife

Everybody knows dice aren't loadedNobody rolls with their fingers crossedEverybody knows war's never overEverybody knows how much it costsEverybody knows the fight's never fixedAs the poor grow unaccustomedTo their station in lifeAnd the rich become accustomedTo the mistress and wifeAnd the river eats the hillAnd the hill becomes the valleyYet never becoming stillIn the ever becoming strifeOf the never ceasing celebrationOf life with itself

If it had been a white teenager who was shot, and a 28-year-old black guy who shot him, the black guy would have been arrested.

So assert those demanding the arrest of George Zimmerman, who shot and killed Trayvon Martin.

And they may be right.

Yet if Trayvon had been shot dead by a black neighborhood watch volunteer, Jesse Jackson would not have been in a pulpit in Sanford, Fla., howling that he had been "murdered and martyred."

Maxine Waters would not be screaming "hate crime."

Rep. Hank Johnson would not be raging that Trayvon had been "executed." And ex-Black Panther Bobby Rush would not have been wearing a hoodie in the well of the House.

Which tells you what this whipped-up hysteria is all about.

It is not about finding the truth about what happened that night in Sanford when Zimmerman followed Trayvon in his SUV, and the two wound up in a fight, with Trayvon dead.

It is about the exacerbation of and the exploitation of racial conflict.

And it is about an irreconcilable conflict of visions about what the real America is in the year 2012.

Zimmerman "profiled" Trayvon, we are told. And perhaps he did.

But why? What did George Zimmerman, self-styled protector of his gated community, see that night from the wheel of his SUV?

He saw a male. And males are 90 percent of prison inmates. He saw a stranger over 6 feet tall. And he saw a black man or youth with a hood over his head.

Why would this raise Zimmerman's antennae?

Perhaps because black males between 16 and 36, though only 2 to 3 percent of the population, are responsible for a third of all our crimes.

In some cities, 40 percent of all black males are in jail or prison, on probation or parole, or have criminal records. This is not a product of white racism but of prosecutions and convictions of criminal acts.

Had Zimmerman seen a black woman or older man in his neighborhood, he likely would never have tensed up or called in.

Whenever cable TV runs hidden-camera footage of a liquor or convenience store being held up and someone behind the counter being shot, the perp is often a black male wearing a hoodie.

Listening to the heated rhetoric coming from demonstrations around the country, from the Black Caucus and TV talkers -- about how America is a terrifying place for young black males to grow up in because of the constant danger from white vigilantes -- one wonders what country of the mind these people are living in.

The real America is a country where the black crime rate is seven times as high as the white rate. It is a country where white criminals choose black victims in 3 percent of their crimes, but black criminals choose white victims in 45 percent of their crimes.

Black journalists point to the racism manifest even in progressive cities, where cabs deliberately pass them by to pick up white folks down the block.

That this happens is undeniable. But, again, what is behind it?

As Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute has written, from January to June 2008 in New York City, 83 percent of all identified gun assailants were black and 15 percent were Hispanics.

Translated: If a cabdriver is going to be mugged or murdered in New York City by a fare, 49 times out of 50 his assailant or killer will be black or Hispanic.

Fernando Mateo of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers has told his drivers, "Profile your passengers" for your own protection. "The God's honest truth is that 99 percent of the people that are robbing, stealing, killing these guys are blacks and Hispanics."

Fernando Mateo is himself black and Hispanic.

To much of America's black leadership and its media auxiliaries, what happened in Sanford was, as Jesse put it, that an innocent kid was "shot down in cold blood by a vigilante."

Yet, from police reports, witness statements, and the father and friends of Zimmerman, another picture emerges.

Zimmerman followed Trayvon, confronted him, and was punched in the nose, knocked flat on his back and jumped on, getting his head pounded, when he pulled his gun and fired. That Trayvon's body was found face down, not face up, would tend to support this.

But, to Florida Congresswoman Federica Wilson, "this sweet young boy ... was hunted down like a dog, shot on the street, and his killer is still at large."

Some Sanford police believed Zimmerman; others did not.

But now that it is being investigated by a special prosecutor, the FBI, the Justice Department and a coming grand jury, what is the purpose of this venomous portrayal of George Zimmerman?

As yet convicted of no crime, he is being crucified in the arena of public opinion as a hate-crime monster and murderer.

Is this our idea of justice?

No. But if the purpose here is to turn this into a national black-white face-off, instead of a mutual search for truth and justice, it is succeeding marvelously well.

Zimmerman is a dumbass who put himself into a precarious situation. He did not "stand his ground". He pursued someone who felt threatened and became hostile. I doubt that Zimmerman could have justified shooting Martin even under the law before "Stand Your Ground". Chances are that Zimmerman will serve time.

The underlying agendas are 1: mobilization of the Democrat base and 2. gun control

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said Friday that he was moving ahead with potential sanctions against countries that keep buying oil from Iran, including allies of the U.S., in a deepening campaign to starve Iran of money for its disputed nuclear program.

The world oil market is tight but deep enough to keep the squeeze on Iran, Obama ruled.

The sanctions are meant to further isolate Iran's central bank, which processes nearly all of Iran's oil purchases, from the global economy.

Obama's move clears the way for the U.S. to penalize foreign financial institutions that do oil business with Iran by barring them from having a U.S.-based affiliate or doing business in this country.

Obama's goal is to tighten the pressure on Iran, not allies, and already the administration exempted 10 European Union countries and Japan from the threat of sanctions because they cut their oil purchases from Iran. Other nations have about three months to significantly reduce such imports before sanctions would kick in.

Still, administration officials said that Obama is ready to slap sanctions on U.S. partners and that his action on Friday was another signal.

At issue for Obama was ruling, by Friday, whether oil supplies were sufficient to keep demanding that nations cut off Iran -- not an insignificant matter in a time of high election-year gas prices at home.

Obama gave his OK after considering available reserves, increased oil production by some countries and global economic conditions. The White House emphasized that he would continue to keep an eye on the oil market to make sure that it -- and its consumers -- could withstand shrinking purchases out of Iran.

With oil prices already rising this year amid rising tensions over the nuclear dispute between Iran and the West, U.S. officials have sought assurances that pushing countries to stop buying from Iran would not cause a further spike in prices.

The U.S. sanctions are set to take effect on June 28. A European oil embargo, approved in January, starts in July.

Zimmerman is a dumbass who put himself into a precarious situation. He did not "stand his ground". He pursued someone who felt threatened and became hostile. I doubt that Zimmerman could have justified shooting Martin even under the law before "Stand Your Ground". Chances are that Zimmerman will serve time.

The underlying agendas are 1: mobilization of the Democrat base and 2. gun control

if we replaced all diesel locomotives with natural gas power, what would the impact be? About 250 million barrels of crude per year not imported into the US, and lower diesel prices for truckers as refinery capacity opens up, and less pollution

The US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, has said time is running out for diplomacy over Iran's nuclear programme and confirmed talks aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon would resume in mid-April.

With speculation over a possible US or Israeli strike adding urgency to the next round of discussions in Istanbul, set for 13 April, Clinton said Iran's "window of opportunity" for a peaceful resolution "will not remain open forever".

She also expressed doubt over whether Iran had any intention of negotiating a solution that satisfies the US, Israel and other countries that believe Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran contends the programme is solely for peaceful energy and research purposes.

"We're going in with one intention: to resolve the international community's concerns about Iran's nuclear program," Clinton said after attending a security conference in Saudi Arabia. "Our policy is one of prevention, not containment. We are determined to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.-----------------

Your neighbor threatens you on a daily basis. He walks around the perimeter of your property armed to the teeth. He blocks your driveway and interferes with your commerce and ability to make a living. He cancels your credit cards and threatens your local banker if he deals with you. He has already gone to war with two of your neighbors and ruined significant parts of their property killing some of their kin.. He threatens you that if you go to town to buy a gun, he will burn down your barn and no place on your farm will be safe.

I don’t know about you, but I would want to arm up and kill the son of a bitch.

Thanks to fracking, the U.S. has suddenly become the world’s largest producer of natural gas, creating a massive glut that has more than halved the price of natural gas. Those liquefied natural gas ports that the U.S. was building to import gas will now be used to export gas.

Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, head of Har Bracha Yeshiva and a prominent Religious Zionism leader, said Iran does not pose an existential threat to Israel and a military offense against it was unnecessary. According to him, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are known to be "men of ego," and he fears this is their main motivation to act against Tehran.

Melamed expressed his opinions in an article published in a religious magazine on Thursday. The Rabbi said he was not a strategic expert, but yet he feels obligated to express his reservations.

According to his analysis, the unconventional arms race is a negative, yet inevitable phenomenon. Melamed explained that even if Israel will succeed in destroying all Iranians nuclear facilities, it would not end the arms race, but only delay it.

Therefore, the entire world must learn to handle such threats. "Israel's predicament is not different than those faced by other countries," wrote Melamed and added, "contrary to what Barak and Netanyahu say, Iran is not the greatest threat on Israel, It is one threat among many.”

Jason wrote:Interesting but it means nothing. Millions of jobs will be lost in the coal industry during the next 20 or more years. Obama and liberals don't care about the loss of those millions of jobs.

Yeah, it will be worse than all those jobs that were lost pulling out asbestos when the government stuck their nose into private industry's business. Damn communists.

A no-war party will have no base to call on after our withdrawal/retreat from Afghanistan, unless we are dragged into an Iranian/Syrian adventure. BUT how long can our corrupt government expect to ignore the voters wishes before a popular dictator comes forward. There are plenty of examples in history for this outcome.

BCAP (Biomass Crop Assistance Program) would have, instead of paying landowners NOT to plant 30,000,000 acres, paid them almost exactly the same amount to PLANT their Thirty Million Acres in Energy Grasses.

"Certainly, sorry about that," Says the barman as he pulls the duck's pint.

"It's just we don't get many ducks in this pub.. What are you doing round this way?"

"I'm working on the building site across the road," Explains the duck. "I'm a plasterer."

The flabbergasted barman cannot believe the duck and wants to learn more, but takes the hint when the duck pulls out a newspaper from his bag and proceeds to read it. So, the duck reads his paper, drinks his beer, eats his sandwich, bids the barman good day and leaves. The same thing happens for two weeks. Then one day the circus comes to town.

The ringmaster comes into the pub for a pint and the barman says to him

"You're with the circus, aren't you? Well, I know this duck that could be just brilliant in your circus. He talks, drinks beer, eats sandwiches, reads the newspaper and everything!"

"Sounds marvellous," says the ringmaster, handing over his business card. "Get him to give me a call."

So the next day when the duck comes into the pub the barman says, "Hey Mr. Duck, I reckon I can line you up with a top job, paying really good money."

"I'm always looking for the next job," says the duck."Where is it?"

"At the circus," says the barman.

"The circus?" Repeats the duck.

"That's right," replies the barman.

"The circus?" The duck asks again. with the big tent?"

"Yeah," the barman replies.

"With all the animals who live in cages, and performers who live in caravans?" says the duck.

"Of course," the barman replies.

"And the tent has canvas sides and a big canvas roof with a hole in the middle?" persists the duck.

On the Surface it sounds that way but then you have to have the firm conviction that the US Senate, The House of Representative and the President are honest, noble, committed to the written US Constitution and above all have an understanding and their commitment to the law and the welfare of the people that voted for them. It is a “trust me, I’m from the government” kind of deal.

Then reflect on most of them groveling before the A-packers, accepting their bribes, genuflecting for Bibi Netanyahu and uproariously cheering his devotion to his country, forgetting their obligation to their own. The level of corruption has hit a critical mass and passed into a zone where it falls on the shoulders of one in 320 million, dressed as a wizard divining the way.

It is inevitable that it will only get worse until it fractures beyond repair and like the Sunday morning videos of an old stadium being reduced to rubble, it will have to be taken down. At this stage it hardly matters.

Like all legislation these days, especially very complicated legislation, it was written by lobbyists for the various interested parties. Then Congress, without bothering to read it, passes it. Then Congressional Staff interprets it and tells us what it all means as they write the administrative rules (such as the recent one that demanded that religious institutions provide insurance that includes contraceptives and abortion services).

For the stereo-typical Conservative it sure would be Quirk which is why I asked.

As far as I'm concerned it proper for the Supremes to rule on Constitutional issues.

If the Mandate is struck down the logical route to go would be some form of taxation to pay for it but given the absurd and Mal-functioning US political system I doubt that would happen much less advancing down a more rational route and having a single payer system backed by taxation.

When I first read American Thinker, I believe it took a fresh approach to certain topics. I changed or it changed, but then I feel the same about Pajamas Media, Hugh Hewitt and Power Line. I find The Independent, Reason, The Telegraph much more credible. On the other side, MSNBC has morphed into a reality show of the absurd. I can’t even stand looking at Joe Scarborough or looking at John McCain and Joe Lieberman. Glenn Beck is nuts and Sean Hannity is way too doctrinaire for my taste.

Most of the killings have been in relatively small-scale, often drive-by, attacks on military targets or other symbols of the Thai government's authority, such as teachers and schools. Occasionally, militants have attacked commercial and tourist targets in Yala, Hat Yai and elsewhere.

Saturday's bombings, though, mark a fresh escalation in the conflict, turning it from a relatively low-intensity bombing campaign into one in which high-profile commercial areas are targeted. The attacks also pose a fresh challenge to the country's large tourism industry and also to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the younger sister of former populist leader Thaksin Shinawatra and who was elected the country's leader last year.

There are deep divisions between her Puea Thai, or For Thais, party and the army generals who ousted her brother in a military coup in 2006. Analysts say Ms. Yingluck will likely now come under pressure to throw her full weight behind the security forces as they try to defuse the worsening tensions in the south of the country.

Republicans will need to run a campaign that explains. Explanation—as opposed to denunciation of others, or celebration of self—hasn’t much characterized the campaign of the likely Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, so far.

...

The good news is that Romney is capable of turning around an enterprise that’s likely to fail. The bad news is that it’s harder to turn one around if the failure isn’t yet obvious.

The irony is that a Romney victory in the primaries will then pose the ultimate test of his ability as a turnaround artist. We trust, for the sake of the country, that he’ll be tough and determined and self-critical enough to do the job.

Most Burmese are wretchedly poor and uneducated, a situation that the series of military juntas that has ruled since 1962 has been happy to maintain. Many of those who said they would vote for Ms Suu Kyi said they supported her because of a blind trust that she and her party can bring changes to their lives.

In Kawhmu, the most pressing needs are jobs, schools and clinics.

Ahead of yesterday's polls, the NLD complained that the process had not been entirely fair and that there had been a particular problem with voting lists. International observers said there had been a number of irregularities but that many were the result of lack of democratic experience rather than intent.

In the beginning ruling classes had a problem. It will be familiar to those acquainted with the Austrian critique of central economic planning: Rulers could not know what they needed to know to do the job they wanted to do.

...

To use the term James C. Scott uses in his book Seeing Like a State, they could strive to make society “legible” in order to make it controllable.

...

He adds:

The more I examined these efforts at sedentarization, the more I came to see them as a state’s attempt to make a society legible, to arrange the population in ways that simplified the classic state functions of taxation, conscription, and prevention of rebellion. . . . I began to see legibility as a central problem in statecraft.

A Canadian with brains (unlike Ash) gives his opinion of health care in Canada -

4. Arnold on The Island

“The Canadian government once proposed compelling newly graduated doctors to work in “underserved” regions of the country before allowing them to live and practice where they wished.”

True..sort of. It only applies to the bigoted racist province of Quebec, not the entire country.In Canada,Quebec in particular all newly graduating doctors are FORCED to work in the boondocks regardless of where they want to work before they are permitted to practice in the larger cosmopolitan area. Many newly graduated doctors flee the province rather than get forced to relocate which results in doctor shortages that are severe.

A typical trip to any emergency room usually ends up with a patient laying in a gurney in a crowded hospital corridor for anywhere between 24 to 36 hours before being attended to. Hopefully you survive, bring a minder with you.

At any of the major hospitals in Montreal it typically takes more than 1 year to get an appointment for a colonoscopy. In some institutions the waiting list is 3 years! Stalagmites could grow in your butt before they get around to you.

To cut costs euthanasia (you read “Death Panels”) is on the table. Whatever terms they try to couch it in it’s still an attempt at legalizing murder of sick elderly who cost too much money to maintain.

My own father was a victim.

Is this coming to a hospital near you?Socialized medicine at it’s best or worst?

But to be fair I have to say the system did save my bacon on more than one occasion despite catching a post-operative infection in the hospital that although the original problem was dealt with successfully it almost killed me.

We are forbidden to seek and pay for alternate services. You can’t use your own money to save your own life unless you leave the country to seek help elsewhere.And…we pay the highest taxes anywhere in NA to support this system.March 29, 2012 - 4:28 am

From all I can gather, you are in for a really nasty surprise Ash, once you get sick. You've just never been in the system, yet.

I've been meaning to ask, Ash, do you use those fancy carbon whatever they are called clubs when you golf? Are they any good?

Japan showed a slight improvement, with eight companies raising $198 million, compared to the seven that raised $206 million in the first quarter of 2011. Bankers said they expect the pace to pick up for Japan.

"There is some lingering uncertainty about what's to come in Asia. With the exception of Japan, Asia will be defined by whether or not China's IPO and broader primary market comes back," said Viswas Raghavan, global head of equity capital markets at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. in London.

"If that market bounces back, it will be positive for the overall health of the capital markets."

Chesapeake Energy, the poster child for shale oil/gas drilling is in trouble. They just turned 200 leases in the Niobrara back in, and seem to be about $8 Billion "short" on what they need this year. Look for them to get bought out by a Major, or go bankrupt in the Fall.

Convicted war criminal John Demjanjuk, who died in Germany on Saturday, is deemed innocent there, despite being convicted last year of killings in a Nazi death camp.

Munich state court spokeswoman Margarete Noetzel said this week that under German law, Demjanjuk is "still technically presumed innocent," because he died before his final appeal could be heard, and "a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty."

Asked by Haaretz if that means there is no record of Demjanjuk's conviction, Noetzel replied, "Yes, it means Mr. Demjanjuk has no criminal record."

Magnificent Ronald and the Founding Fathers of al Qaeda

“These gentlemen are the moral equivalents of America’s founding fathers.” — Ronald Reagan while introducing the Mujahideen leaders to media on the White house lawns (1985). During Reagan’s 8 years in power, the CIA secretly sent billions of dollars of military aid to the mujahedeen in Afghanistan in a US-supported jihad against the Soviet Union. We repeated the insanity with ISIS against Syria.